Gaby Morlay had just made the biggest blockbuster of the occupation days (the tear-jerker called "Le Voile Bleu" which made thousands of Frenchies cry a river)This part of a sob sister made Morlay self-conscious and almost inscrutable and uncommunicative.In direct contrast with this,we have this marvelous part of a switchboard operator :Morlay is beaming,full of joie de vivre,ready to lend a helping hand to anyone ,from a cat (at the beginning,and even the cat's case is solved in the end)to an escaped prisoner.However ,only her and Gabrielle Fontan (the grumpy servant, a role she would play again in Duvivier's "Voici Le Temps Des Assassins " really live on the screen,all the others characters -although portrayed by seasoned actors:Jacques Dumesnil,Carette,Louis Seignier;there's even Simone Signoret in a small part of a dancer - are rather flat.

There is not a plot,but many subplots which finally become an almost seamless whole with gusto .In its own special way ,it's Duvivier's "Sous Le Ciel De Paris" in miniature in a village in the mountains.Duvivier's work is highly superior,but Faurez's one is to be recommended.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

A devoted switchboard operator is the village guardian angel.

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